New study explores whether newborns delivered by c-section face higher risk of chronic health problems later in life

New York, June 10 -- A new paper in the British Medical Journal by Jan Blustein, M.D., Ph.D., of New York University's Wagner School and a professor of Medicine and Population Health at NYU School of Medicine and Jianmeng Liu, M.D., Ph.D., of Peking University examines the evidence as to whether newborns delivered by Cesarean section are more likely to develop chronic diseases later in life. While the jury is still out and research is ongoing, recent studies underscore the need for health care providers to discuss with expectant parents the risk of babies born through cesarean section developing obesity, asthma, and diabetes, according to the paper by Blustein and Liu.

Cesarean section is sometimes a medical necessity, or even an emergency. But it is increasingly a choice made in cooler moments. C-section on mothers' request is growing globally. At the same time, while repeat cesarean is not necessarily medically indicated for women with otherwise low obstetrical risk, there is a 90 percent repeat cesarean rate among women giving birth who have had a prior cesarean, in the U.S.

While cesarean and vaginal deliveries are both associated with well-known acute risks, recent studies link C-section to long-term child chronic disease. The authors review this evidence from a variety of sources. These include observational studies where researchers locate large samples of children, assess the extent of disease, and look back to see how the children were delivered. They also include a clinical trial, in which mothers were prospectively randomized to undergo cesarean or vaginal delivery. The authors find that the evidence warrants concerns that C-section may lead to worse long-term child health.

These risks have yet to be mentioned in clinical guidelines, which are the official documents that are used to educate doctors and midwives. 'It's time to update the guidelines to include information about possible risks to long-term child health,' comments Blustein.

She acknowledges that the evidence linking cesarean to worse child health is not unequivocal. 'It is clear that cesarean-born children have worse health, but further research is needed to establish whether it is the cesarean that causes disease, or whether other factors are at play,' Blustein says. 'Getting definitive answers will take many years of further research. In the interim, we must make decisions based on the evidence that we have. To me, that evidence says that it is reasonable to believe that cesarean has the potential for long-term adverse health consequences for children.'

'It takes awhile for research findings to reach clinicians and patients,' says Blustein. 'This research isn't widely known. It is time for that to change, so that doctors, midwives and patients can weigh the risks and benefits of elective cesarean, and decide accordingly.'

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As already noted, the paper is embargoed for release on June 10 at 5:00 a.m. EST. It will be published in the British Medical Journal on June 13. Blustein is available for interview. To reach her, please contact the press officer listed with this press release.

Contributors and sources: JB and JL have conducted epidemiological research on the long term consequences of caesarean delivery on child health. JL is the senior author of a meta-analysis on the relation between caesarean delivery and child obesity. The authors have collaborated on epidemiological analyses of caesarean delivery in China. The concept for this paper grew out of their collaboration. JB wrote the first draft, and they both contributed to the development and final version of the piece.

Competing interests: JB and JL have read and understood BMJ policy on declaration of interests and declare JB was supported in part by the NYU CTSA grant UL1TR000038 from the National Center for the Advancement of Translational Science (NCATS), NIH, and JL receives support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No 81273163).

About NYU Langone Medical Center

NYU Langone Medical Center, a world-class, patient-centered, integrated academic medical center, is one of the nation's premier centers for excellence in clinical care, biomedical research, and medical education. Located in the heart of Manhattan, NYU Langone is composed of four hospitals -- Tisch Hospital, its flagship acute care facility; Rusk Rehabilitation; the Hospital for Joint Diseases, the medical center's dedicated inpatient orthopaedic hospital; and Hassenfeld Children's Hospital, a comprehensive pediatric hospital supporting a full array of children's health services across the medical center -- plus the NYU School of Medicine, which since 1841 has trained thousands of physicians and scientists who have helped to shape the course of medical history. The medical center's tri-fold mission to serve, teach, and discover is achieved 365 days a year through the seamless integration of a culture devoted to excellence in patient care, education, and research. For more information, go to http://www.NYULangone.org.

About NYU Wagner

Ranked sixth nationally among all schools of public affairs, NYU Wagner has been teaching rigorous methods of management, policy, and planning for over 75 years. We offer Master of Public Administration, Master of Urban Planning, Executive Master of Public Administration, and Doctor of Philosophy degree programs. To learn more, visit http://www.wagner.nyu.edu.

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New York University Clinical and Translational Science Institute, National Center for the Advancement of Translational Science, National Institutes of Health, National Natural Science Foundation of China